The Uniformer: Camo, Culture, and Cash: What’s Driving Workwear Right Now

Welcome to the February 2026 edition of The Uniformer News Round Table, where Rick Levine (Network Association of Uniform Manufacturers and Distributors, NAUMD) is joined by panelists Leslie Watt McArdle (Fabian Group) and Aileen Out (Pretty Business NL / Pretty Business World) for a fast, friendly, “two stories each” conversation about what is shaping uniforms, image apparel, workwear, and PPE right now.

In this episode you will hear:

Aileen’s deep dive into military camouflage, sparked by South Africa’s upcoming uniform update and the surprising realities behind pattern choices. The discussion explores why some regions may favor “analog” camouflage over digital designs, how cost and production capability influence uniform decisions, and why modern conflict is pushing uniform design toward a new problem: visibility to drones.

Leslie brings research linking women in executive and board roles to fewer workplace safety violations, sparking a wider conversation about how leadership representation can influence safety culture. Aileen adds an important angle from the workwear world: fit and PPE design for women, and how listening, inclusion, and practical product decisions can translate directly into safer workplaces.

Rick shares a headline that will make anyone in workwear sit up straighter: BRUNT Workwear’s rapid growth since launching in 2020, plus what that says about the current appetite for trade-focused apparel and footwear. The panel also explores workwear’s ongoing “lifestyle crossover,” and how brands like Carhartt and Dickies helped turn functional gear into everyday fashion.

Aileen also digs into dress codes with a buyer psychology twist, discussing what customers prefer car salespeople to wear, and how preferences shift by age group, price point, and expectations of professionalism. The conversation widens into what younger professionals are learning (or re-learning) about dress codes post-pandemic, and why workplace uniforms and corporate wear may be entering a new moment.

The episode closes with a thoughtful look at “uniform-adjacent” products like bags, fleece, accessories, and headwear, and why these categories are becoming bigger parts of workwear lines and uniform programs: comfort, branding, merchandising, and yes, revenue.

If you want a smart, lively snapshot of what is changing in the uniform and workwear universe, plus ideas you can apply to product development, sourcing, branding, and program strategy, this one is packed.

More info on NAUMD at https://naumd.com